


Nightmare Before D-Day

by RyuuSenai



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: 2dace - Freeform, 2doc - Freeform, 2doc if you squint real hard, Coma, Dream AU, M/M, Slight fluff, healthy 2doc, it's kinda like inception, just sorta assuming it is, never watched that movie, no one asked for this, slight 2dace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-04 18:41:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15847110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyuuSenai/pseuds/RyuuSenai
Summary: Stuart jolted upright, his breathing quick and shallow as his heart thumped in his chest. He swallowed thickly as his eyes adjusted and he took in his blurry surroundings. A hospital room? he thought.“Stuart!” Stu jumped, recognizing the voice immediately.“Dad?” the blue head rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on the figures closing in on him.“Thank goodness you’re okay!” a female voice exclaimed.“Mum?” Stuart looked around, everything finally came into focus. He furrowed his brows as he realized he was missing a few essential people. “What happened? Where’s Noodle? Russel?”His parents exchanged confused glances. “Who?”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is based off what Damon Albarn said about "The Now Now is a dream within Humanz." Also based off a short comic by soaptears on Tumblr (it is short, but well drawn and makes you think about that dream statement). Anyway, I will have more smut for you guys soon (and wouldn't you guess, it's Gorillaz smut).

Stuart jolted upright, his breathing quick and shallow as his heart thumped in his chest. He swallowed thickly as his eyes adjusted and he took in his blurry surroundings.  _ A hospital room? _ he thought.

“Stuart!” Stu jumped, recognizing the voice immediately.

“Dad?” the blue head rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on the figures closing in on him.

“Thank goodness you’re okay!” a female voice exclaimed.

“Mum?” Stuart looked around, everything finally came into focus. He furrowed his brows as he realized he was missing a few essential people. “What happened? Where’s Noodle? Russel?”

His parents exchanged confused glances. “Who?”

Stu’s heart dropped, his eyes wide. “Huh? But you’ve  _ met _ my bandmates before!”

“Bandmates? You never told us you were in a band,” his father, David, retorted.

“What about The Now Now? Humanz? Hell, even Demon Dayz! Please tell me something rings a bell!”

Rachel shook her head. “We have no idea what you’re talking about, sweetheart.”

“What year is it?” Stu’s voice was somber.

“It’s 1999,” a new voice said as footsteps entered the hospital room. A man wearing a long white coat approached Stuart’s hospital bed. His coat was littered with tools attached to the fabric and in its pockets. “Mr. Pot, how are you feeling?”

“Alright, I guess?” Stu furrowed his brows. “But what’s going on? What am I doing here?”

“Mr. Pot, you have been in a coma for nearly two years. On August 15th, 1997, you were the victim of a hit-and-run. When the paramedics arrived, you were in critical condition,” the doctor read off a clipboard that was hanging on Stu’s hospital bed. “Please sit still while I check your vitals.”

The doctor had a nurse come in and help him check Stu’s condition. Once they approved he had made a full recovery from the accident, they concluded he would be good to leave the next day.

_ April 17th, 1999 _

Around midday, Stuart left the hospital with his parents. They brought him back to their house, and let him get back into the swing of things. His bedroom door creaked as he slowly pushed it open. He sighed, letting out the breath he had apparently been holding. He was less than thrilled to be in his childhood home rather than with the band. His heart ached as he thought about them. He missed Russel, Noodle, Ace, hell he even missed Murdoc to a degree.

He choked back tears as he gazed into the mirror on his bureau. His eyes were no long the black - sometimes white - voids he had learned to accept as his normal. They were a bright, sky blue, almost perfectly matching his hair color. He sighed as he changed into his favorite outfit from his teenage years. He threw on some sneakers and uttered, “I’m headin’ out,” as he passed by his parents in the living room. Before they could ask where he was going, the front door was shut. The blue head stumbled down the street, nearly tripping over his own shuffling feet. His monstrous legs mindlessly carried him to a local bar he used to drink at. But that was before he met Murdoc. Or rather, thought he met Murdoc.

Stu was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that all of the Gorillaz never happened. He never got hit by Murdoc’s car. Noodle never arrived in a FedEx crate. Russel was never possessed. Ace never joined as a temporary bass player. They probably did not exist to begin with.

His vision blurred with tears as he continued to think about this new reality. By the time he sniffled back the tears, he arrived at the bar. He entered the pub and sat down on a barstool, ordering two shots of whiskey. He downed them both within moments, ordering a rum and coke to wash it down. He cringed as the mixture of sweet and bitter burned down his throat.

The barstool next to him squeaked, but with the intoxication washing over him, the noise didn’t even register in his mind. When Stu saw a bony hand grab a glass next to him, he nearly fell off his stool as he recognized the unusual hue that draped across the appendage.

“Green?” he breathed out in disbelief. Stu’s wide, azure eyes met brown and red mismatched ones. “Murdoc?!” the blue head nearly exclaimed.

The gruff man looked Stu up and down, hesitantly replying with a “Yes?”

“Murdoc, it’s me! 2D!” Stu helplessly gestured to himself.

“ ‘2D’? Like two dimensional?” Murdoc asked.

The blue head’s expression dropped, feeling the tears well back up in his eyes. “Y- You don’t remember me?” He stopped for a moment, chuckling under his breath, “Of course you don’t remember. It wasn’t real. I’m such a-”

“Dullard,” Murdoc finished for him. The green man’s gaze met Stu’s again. “You got hit by a car two years ago, right?” Stu nodded. “That was me. I hit you while I was being chased by cops. That night I had a dream about knocking your eye out from a different car crash. You see, in the dream I was on the rob and decided to crash my car into a piano shop to steal the keyboards. I hit you right in your head and your eye filled with blood, making it black. After that I've had a dream about you nearly every night. I thought it was my mind fucking with me cause I thought your hair was badass looking. We made a band and traveled the world as strange, seemingly impossible events kept happening to us.”

Stu sat in awe, it wasn't all in his head. Well, it was, but not his head alone. “So you know Noodle? And Russel?” Murdoc nodded. “What about Ace?”

“Yup. In fact, you can see Ace on this one kids’ show. He’s a big time young actor,” Murdoc explained.

“Really? So does that mean the others are real too?” Stu wondered aloud.

Murdoc shrugged. “Sorta thought it was all my imagination before I met you just now, so I never thought much about it,” the brunet stated.

Stuart thought for a moment, looking around as he got his thoughts into order. “Can you show me that kids’ show? I just woke up yesterday from my coma, but I miss our bandmates already,” his expression became dismal.

“Whoa, you didn’t tell me you were in a coma. I thought you just saw this all in your dreams each night like I did,” the green man remarked. “But yes, I’ll show you that show. C’mon.” Murdoc stood up, gesturing for Stu to follow. The blue head downed the half of his drink that was left and followed close behind.

The Murdoc Stu knew would never find it an option to walk anywhere. A taxi or rental was the “famous” way to get home, but this Murdoc simply walked home. Granted, it wasn’t too far away from the bar, but it would’ve warranted a ride in the eyes of Dream Mudz.

When they arrived at a fairly small apartment complex, Murdoc lead the way up the internal stairs. He fumbled with his keys for a moment as he approached a door with a large metal number three on it. Once he found the right key, he unlocked the door and held it open. He gestured for Stu to enter first.

The blue head hesitantly stepped into the apartment. It was decently spacious. To his immediate left was a small kitchen. He explored a little as Murdoc closed and locked the door behind them. To his right was Murdoc’s bedroom. He had a large, king sized bed with striped sheets on it. The bed was made, it was very neat and tidy. The bedroom floor had a few articles of clothing strewn around, but it was mostly well kept.

“What, plannin’ on shacking me up on the first date?” Murdoc chuckled from right behind the blue head.

Stu jumped, his face flushed a light pink. “N- No! I was just surprised at how different you are from the, uh, other Murdoc,” he stuttered.

Murdoc grunted, a little annoyed at the thought of his dream counterpart. “Yeah, well that dream douchebag is a prick. The way he, well I guess I treated you in those dreams is inhumane. How he abused you with no second thoughts disgusts me,” as Murdoc spoke, he progressively got more angry. His fists clenched tight as he spoke before he released the tension and mumbled, “I'm gonna grab a beer.”

He shuffled over to the kitchen, opening the fridge before calling over to Stu, “Ya want one?”

“Uh, sure,” the blue head nodded.

Walking back towards Stu, Murdoc handed him a beer as he strolled passed. The blue head followed him into the living room. Murdoc flopped on the couch, sipping from his bottle.

Stuart hesitantly sat on the couch, about a foot away from the brunet. Murdoc turned his TV on and began flipping through the channels. “Oh! This is it!” he exclaimed as he stopped on a network that shows a lot of cartoons, with the occasional live action show.

This series was live action with a main cast of three young girls. The show was pretty good, despite the cheesy special effects. It was about the three girls having superpowers and fighting off evil. Stu enjoyed it, considering how childlike and innocent he could be at times. Murdoc glanced over at him, grinning to himself as he saw the blue head enthused by the children's show.

When the green man turned back to the television, he was greeted with another green man. “Is that young Ace?” Stu gasped. Murdoc nodded. “Wow, he hasn't changed much.” Ace was fighting the three supergirls, shooting ice at them as his skin changed from green to a cold blue. His chiseled chin, slick back hair and signature pointed glasses indicated it was the Ace Stu knew and loved.

The blue head’s expression dropped. He sat back in the couch and gulped down more of his beer. He hated the fact that everything he had was gone. His sister-like bond with Noodle. His protector Russel. His relationship with Ace. It was all gone.

Murdoc immediately noticed his change in attitude. “You thinkin’ ‘bout the band again?” his voice became somber, blatantly showing his worry for the younger man. Stu nodded. Murdoc sighed, relaxing into the couch alongside his pseudo singer.

Murdoc began humming a tune. Stu’s electric blue eyes flashed in the bassist’s direction. The man’s gruff voice began roughly singing, “You got me lost in Magic City.”

Stu chimed in, the duo mumbling in unison, “You got me questionin’ it all.”

Murdoc stopped suddenly, letting Stu sing all by himself. “I hope that I make it home by Wednesday. And this Magic City lets me-” Stuart cut himself off, a hand covering his mouth in embarrassment as he realized he was singing alone.

“Go,” Murdoc finished for him, their eyes locking as he sang the final lyric. He chuckled, “You really do have the voice of an angel.”

Stu’s face flushed a bright pink. “Y- You think so? I thought all my talent was just in my head,” he stuttered, averting his gaze.

“God, no,” Murdoc’s eyes softened. “You're an amazing person with an even more amazing set of skills.” He found his hand had crept its way to cup Stu’s hand. He hesitated, prepared to remove the appendage. But when Stu’s eyes met his again, he realized he didn't have to move away.

Stu coyly smiled, interlacing his fingers with Murdoc’s. “That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me,” he nearly whispered. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2D groaned as a blaring alarm cut through the silence of his bedroom. He mindlessly smacked around his nightstand until he slammed the snooze button. His once again hushed room comforted him as he awoke from his slumber. Blinking a few times, he yawned and sat up. His extensive legs swung over the side of his bed, stumbling as he stood up. He stretched before making his trek to the bathroom.
> 
> When he walked into the bathroom, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He ignored his appearance for a moment before he realized something was off. He did a double take and hopelessly stared into his reflection’s eyes. The black abyss stared right back. The blood in his eyeballs drained, leaving them blank, white voids. “So, it wasn't a dream?” he pondered outloud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so (not) sorry. You may cry, I know I sure did when I wrote this. Good luck.

2D groaned as a blaring alarm cut through the silence of his bedroom. He mindlessly smacked around his nightstand until he slammed the snooze button. His once again hushed room comforted him as he awoke from his slumber. Blinking a few times, he yawned and sat up. His extensive legs swung over the side of his bed, stumbling as he stood up. He stretched before making his trek to the bathroom.

 

When he walked into the bathroom, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He ignored his appearance for a moment before he realized something was off. He did a double take and hopelessly stared into his reflection’s eyes. The black abyss stared right back. The blood in his eyeballs drained, leaving them blank, white voids. “So, it wasn't a dream?” he pondered outloud.

 

“What wasn’t a dream?” Noodle walked into the bathroom with 2D.

 

“Noodle?” he jumped, looking at her as she walked around him.

 

“Yeah. Who else would it be?” she asked as she grabbed a hairbrush sitting on the side of the sink, using it to comb through her hair.

 

2D stood there, his brain processing what was happening. “But if this is real, and that is a dream, then that means Mudz is still in jail. Noodle, Russel and Ace are still here . . .”

 

“What are you talking about, Toochi?” Noodle put the hairbrush down, turning to look at her bandmate.

 

“Noodle, what year is it?”

 

“2018. Shouldn’t you know that already?”

 

“I’m asking myself the same thing.” Noodle shot him a confused look. “Ace. Where’s Ace?”

 

“He was in the kitchen when I last saw him,” she replied. 2D thanked her as he rushed out of the bathroom. “And put on some pants before you go down there!”

 

2D took her advice and changed directions real quick, darting into his room to pick up a fairly-clean pair of pajama pants off his bedroom floor. Throwing them over his briefs, he continued his journey downstairs. Passing Russel in the living room, he faintly sighed in relief seeing the drummer on the couch. “Hey, ‘D. What’s up?” Russel asked.

 

“Ah, well, a lot that I, uh, don’t want to get into right now,” the blue head stammered.  _ And a lot I don't understand, _ he thought. Stepping into the kitchen, he was hit with the prominent stench of burnt toast. Spotting his boyfriend, 2D chuckled.

 

Ace was fumbling with some fresh bread, quickly attempting to rid the smell from the room by opening the window and fanning the smoke through it. The green man sighed in frustration as he tossed the failed toast in the garbage can. Hearing footsteps behind him, Ace turned around to see 2D. He perked up and chirped, “Hi Stu!” He chuckled, “I was tryna make ya breakfast, but I, uh, ‘m not good at cookin’.”

 

2D smiled, giggling softly at how cute Ace was. Then his heart clenched.  _ That's right, I wanted to talk to him about all this, _ Stu thought. “Ace, I need to talk to you about something. Something important,” his empty eyes flashed up, looking past the pointed shades to gaze into his bandmate’s pink eyes.

 

Ace furrowed his brows, placing the plate he had been holding down onto the counter. “Okay. What is it, sweetheart?”

 

2D looked around for a moment before grabbing Ace’s hand, dragging him through the living room. “Goin’ for a morning quickie?” Russel called after them, “Don’t make too much noise.” The drummer chuckled as they hurried up the stairs. Stu chose to ignore him, mostly because of how concerned he was.

 

Ace began to worry as his boyfriend locked them in his own bedroom. 2D let out the breath he had been holding before he spoke, “Sorry, I just didn’t want the others to hear all of this.” He sat down on his bed, ushering for Ace to sit next to him on the mattress.

 

The brunet complied, addressing his concerns, “A- Are you breaking up with me?”

 

2D hesitated before muttering, “Not exactly.” He looked for the right words to say. “I- Do you-” he sighed, frustrated. “Okay.” He inhaled deep, letting the breath go before saying, “So I found out this whole reality might be a dream and I am really, you know, confused and worried. Like what I have with you might not even be real, and that scares me.” As he spoke, his vision blurred as tears formed and his breathing began to falter as his sobs became audible.

 

Ace thought for a moment, the silence of his boyfriend giving 2D a spike of anxiety. The bassist sighed, “I hate it when my dream tells me it’s a dream, it really breaks the illusion.”

 

“Illusion? You already knew it was a dream?” 2D was devastated.

 

“Well, yeah. I knew none of this was real. When I go to sleep each night, I come here, so of course it’s a dream. Though I wish it was real. What I have with you here, in this dream, feels so real and so full of emotion. And you feel real too, as if you’re a real person,” Ace rambled.

 

“But I am real,” 2D furrowed his brows. “Did you think I was a figment of your dream?”

 

“Kind of, yeah,” he confessed. “But if you really are real, I’d like to keep what he have here in real life!”

 

2D thought back to when he held Murdoc’s hand. How the sparks of electricity bounced between their fingers as they interlaced their appendages. His heart ached as he felt his brain and his heart battle over the feelings he had for both bassists. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by his phone ringing. He grabbed the cell phone and answered it, despite the unrecognizable number. “Hello?”

 

“Hey, faceache!” a raspy voice yelled on the other side.

 

“What? Murdoc?!” 2D asked, perking up.

 

“Who the fuck else would it be? Bloody hell, you’re as dense as ever!”

 

“S- Sorry, Mudz. I’m just a little shocked and-”

 

Murdoc cut him off, “Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re surprised I’m still alive. Me too. Anyway, I didn’t call ya just to play catch up. I’m in a sewer!”

 

“A sewer?”

 

“What’re you, a parrot? Yes a bloody sewer! I’m breaking out of prison!” Murdoc’s reception was going bad, 2D could hardly understand him. “But the issue is, I’m stuck at a gate. I have a PDF of the sewage plans, but this cell phone that I stole from a prison guard is a piece of shit! So I can’t see it myself. I’m going to send it to you, and I want you to tell me if you can see it.”

 

2D’s phone buzzed, he took the device away from his ear, putting it on speaker phone. He opened the file Murdoc sent. “Okay, I can see it.”

 

“Splendid! So I’ve made it to the main sluice gate, but it’s shut. Is there anything on that plan that says how I can open it?” Murdoc is practically yelling at this point, making sure 2D doesn’t mess it up somehow.

 

“It says about three wheels,” 2D stated.

 

“Great, I’ve been spinning the twats around for ages, but it’s done nothing. Does the map say anything about which was to turn them?”

 

“Yeah, are you ready?” the blue head asked.

 

“Of course I’m ready, dullard! Been ready since the first minute we were on the phone together!”

 

“Alright, calm down! I’m just tryna to make sure,” 2D sighed. “Okay, turn the far left one west.” He paused until he heard metal squeaking on the other end of the call, then continued, “Turn the middle one north. And the right one south.”

 

“Okay, they’re all in position. Nothing’s happen- oh wait! Yes! The gate is open! Okay, going to crawl through,” Murdoc went silent for a moment. “Hang on, that’s weird. The shit levels are rising? Did you open some other gate too?”

 

“Uh, I don’t think so?” the blue head answered.

 

“Well, you did something! It’s up to my waist now, kinda making me float. Wow, the current’s really strong too,” his voice quaked a little with worry. “Oh shit! I’ve hit another gate! Does that file say anything about another gate?”

 

“No, it only said about the one,” 2D stated.

 

“Balls! It’s gushing in! It’s up to my neck! Do something!” Murdoc exclaimed.

 

“I- I don’t know what to do!” the singer responded.

 

“Check the plan! Anything?!”

 

“It doesn’t say anything else!” 2D began raising his voice, terrified of what might happen next.

 

“Thanks for nothing! I’m going to fucking die!” Murdoc shouted. “This is it! I’m sorry for-"

 

He was cut off by a beeping, indicating the signal was lost. 2D sat there, frozen. His phone fell out of his hand as tears streamed down his cheeks like mini rivers. “Murdoc? Murdoc!”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this. I'll be posting another chapter soon. Thank you and feedback is appreciated.


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